Origins & History
The Germanic peoples are a broad ethnolinguistic group whose languages include German, Dutch, English, and the Scandinavian tongues (which are sometimes categorized separately). Their historical roots lie in the Iron Age tribes of northern Europe, and Germanic migrations reshaped the fall of the Western Roman Empire. Today the category typically refers to Germans, Austrians, Dutch, Flemish Belgians, and Swiss Germans, with English-speaking peoples often treated separately.
Geographic Distribution
Germanic populations in continental Europe number over 100 million, including Germans (around 80 million), Austrians (around 8 million), Dutch (around 17 million), German-speaking Swiss (around 5 million), and Flemish Belgians (around 6 million). English-speakers add hundreds of millions more depending on how the category is drawn.
Diaspora & Migration
The Germanic diaspora is enormous, particularly to the Americas. Around 42 million Americans claim German ancestry, making it the largest single ancestry group in the United States. Major Germanic-descended populations also live in Brazil, Argentina, Canada, Australia, South Africa, and Namibia.
About This Map
This map shows global perceptions of Germanic populations. Depending on how visitors interpret the category, results may focus on continental Europe or extend to include the many Germanic-descended communities worldwide.
The map above shows crowd opinion, not official demographic data. Vote on the main map to contribute your own perception of where Germanic / Western European populations live.